All in 'family' as Zion-Benton set to honor its 2007-08 boys basketball team

Ron Johnson/AP photo

Zion-Benton’s players celebrate a 54-51 win over Evanston in a Class 4A state semifinal game on March 14, 2008, in Peoria. The Zee-Bees will honor the 2007-08 state runners-up on Nov. 17.

Zion-Benton’s players celebrate a 54-51 win over Evanston in a Class 4A state semifinal game on March 14, 2008, in Peoria. The Zee-Bees will honor the 2007-08 state runners-up on Nov. 17. (Ron Johnson/AP photo)

The first word Rodney Clinkscales associates with the 2007-08 Zion-Benton boys basketball team is "family."

"It was such a tight-knit group and a tight-knit organization," said Clinkscales, who was one of the team captains. "Especially that year. I played varsity previous years and it just wasn't as close a group of guys as it was until I became a senior."

That bond translated on the court. The Zee-Bees reached the Class 4A state championship game that season, where they lost to Richards.

The state runner-up team will be honored on Nov. 17 as part of Zee-Bee Madness. The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. at Zion-Benton and include the Maroon and White game featuring this year's varsity team.

"It will be a celebration of what we've done and a celebration of the new group, the 2017-18 varsity basketball team," Zion-Benton coach Bob Worthington said.

Worthington was an assistant on coach Don Kloth's staff for the 2007-08 team.

"It will be a chance to let everyone see who they are and show them through the '08 team what they should aspire to," Worthington said. "What better way to have the future and the past all in one gym."

Markus Yarbrough, who was a junior that season, is looking forward to catching up with some of his former teammates.

"I'm going to be with some of the best people I've ever met in my life," Yarbrough said. "It's going to be an amazing thing to be back in that gym and have that feeling at least one more time."

The Zee-Bees had a 32-4 record that season. The roster included Lenzelle Smith, who played at Ohio State and is still playing overseas.

"That gym was filled to the capacity before 5 for every game," Yarbrough said. "It was ridiculous. I would take a peek and be like, 'Wow.' Who would think a guy coming from 27th and Galilee in Zion would have all these people come and watching.

"The stage electrified me. The reason it was so easy for me not to shy away from the moment is because of the guys surrounding me. From practice to the game. Those guys were amazing. From the person who had the most minutes to the person that didn't play, it was an amazing bond."

Zion-Benton beat Evanston 54-51 in the state semifinal, with Ronald Steward's long-distance 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Zee-Bees lost the title game 67-63. Clinkscales realized the significance of Zion-Benton's accomplishments when the team returned home.

"I'm happy that I helped build and bring the community together," Clinkscales said. "It was a beautiful thing. It touched my heart when we came back to a parade. That put things in perspective what we did."

The group left a lasting legacy that will be honored at the reunion.

"Those guys were the true definition of 'passion' and 'hard work pays off,'" Yarbrough said. "We worked our butts off."